This year's Town Meeting is history.
Having motored through 35 articles on April 30, the majority of which were approved with little debate, Town Meeting's second night, held May 1, unfolded with lengthy discussions.
Voters disapproved the proposed purchase of a $200,000 sewer infrastructure maintenance vehicle, despite being told by Public Works Director Jack Petkus that the town's current equipment is "absolutely, totally inadequate."
A request for $900,000 to buy more conservation land was also defeated because it failed to acquire the two-thirds approval needed. The vote was 203 in favor and 112 opposed.
Voters nearly refused to provide $300,000 toward reimbursement of town employees' unused sick-time, known as the accumulated employee benefit account. The article, normally approved each year with little or no discussion, was approved by only by a ten-vote margin, 145 to 135.
Here is a complete list of 2008 Town Meeting results:
1 - Town election results - Approved
2 - Election not required by ballot - Approved
3 - Salaries of elected officials - Approved
4 - The FY2009 budget - Approved
5 - Exempt senior citizens from proposition 21/2 override - Withdrawn
6 - FY2009 contingent override - Withdrawn
7 - Proposition 21/2 vote for town and school override - Withdrawn
8 - FY 2009 capital projects fund appropriation - Approved
9 - Budget transfers - Withdrawn
10 - Supplemental budget appropriation - Approved
11 - Free cash - Approved
12 - Unexpended appropriations - Approved
13 - Stabilization fund - Approved
14 - Transfer of funds for school department's FY2009 budget - Withdrawn
15 - Transfer from stabilization fund for school FY2009 budget - Withdrawn
16A - Grant program authorization - Approved
16B - Road contracts - Approved
16C - Town report - Approved
16D - Property tax exemptions - Approved
16E - Contracts in excess of three years - Approved
16F - Accepting easements - Approved
16G - Rescinding of board authorizations - Withdrawn
17 - Granting easements - Approved
18 - Unpaid bills - Withdrawn
19 - Chapter 90 authorizations - Approved
20 - Revolving accounts - Approved
21 - Elderly/disabled transportation program - Approved
22 - Fireworks - Approved
23 - Local options revenues - Withdrawn
24 - Feasibility study — Bancroft Elementary School - Approved
25 - School facilities maintenance trust fund - Approved
26 - Trench safely regulations - Approved
27 - School building maintenance and renovation - Approved
28 - Town building maintenance and renovation - Approved
29 - Lovely field improvements - Approved
30 - Amend home occupation and permitted signs — zoning bylaw - Approved with amendment
31 - Ledge Road land closure - Approved
32 - Bridge repairs - Approved
33 - Outfall sewer - Shawsheen River - Approved
34 - Priority development sites - Approved
35 - Outdoor dining - general bylaw - Approved
36 - Fire rescue and DPW vehicles - Approved
37 - DPW sewer division vehicle - Disapproved
38 - Stormwater management - general bylaw - Approved
39 - Open space land acquisition - Disapproved
40 - Accumulated employee benefit account - Approved
41 - Residential anti-blight bylaw - general bylaw - Disapproved
42 - Finance committee report - general bylaw - Disapproved
43 - Medicare extension plans for retirees -Withdrawn
44 - William M. Wood Memorial - Approved
45 - William M. Wood Memorial Park Improvements - Withdrawn
46 - Lowell Street sidewalk reconstruction - Disapproved
47 - Conveyance and transfer of land - Dwight Street and School Street - Withdrawn
48 - Recreation Park ballfield lighting project - Approved
49 - Parks and grounds appropriation transfer - Approved with amendment
50 - Storm drainage construction and improvements - Approved
51 - Sewer main construction and reconstruction - Approved
52 - Amend dog bylaw - general bylaw - Approved
53 - Amend signs - zoning bylaw - Disapproved
54 - Banners - general bylaw - Approved
55 - News boxes - general bylaw - Approved
56 - Lease of Old Town Hall - Disapproved
57 - Discontinue portion of Paulornette Circle as public way - Approved
